KIU, Western Campus – On Friday, March 15th, 2024, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) at KIU Western Campus, joined other stakeholders for a pivotal breakfast meeting aimed at dissecting the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legal framework in Uganda and its critical importance within the academic context. 

SEAS was represented by Eng. Fwangmun B. Wamyil from the Department of Civil Engineering, who said the meeting was a success and expounded on how to implement OHS in the units taught at the university.

“OHS can be implemented by introducing units that cover the OHS curriculum and embedding it in different aspects of existing units,” he said.

“For example in SEAS, CIV1201 Labour Safety and Management is a specific crosscutting unit in the faculty that all students do prior to undergoing the workshop training and any laboratory activity,” he added.

Eng. Wamyil also said that laboratories and general facility management of tertiary institutions can implement SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for equipment and laboratory procedures in the university.

He also observed that by implementing OHS, the university will be abiding by the law and creating a culture of safety for its students because the labour and safety legislation in Uganda expects that all workplaces are safe for workers.

Dr. Milon Selvam, a senior lecturer and research coordinator in the Department of Mechanical Engineering talked about the benefit of attending the meeting.

“By integrating OHS principles into academic curricula, institutions can ensure the holistic development and preparedness of future engineers and professionals, thereby contributing to a safer and more sustainable work environment for all,” he explained.

The meeting was organized by the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) in conjunction with the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development, the Uganda Manufacturers Association and universities like KIU, Makerere University, Kyambogo University, Ndejje University, International University of East Africa (IUEA).